Tampon with plastic applicator 588f09bd5f9b5874eee209ef

A Brief History of the Tampon

By kl18726
  • 2018 BCE

    What is a Tampon

    What is a Tampon
    A tampon is a feminine hygiene product designed to absorb the menstrual flow by insertion into the vagina during menstruation. Once inserted correctly a tampon is held in place by the vagina and expands as it soaks up menstrual blood. The majority of tampons sold are made of rayon, or a blend of rayon and cotton. Tampons are available in several absorbency ratings.
  • How to keep the Tampons Clean

    How to keep the Tampons Clean
    To keep the tampon clean, the cotton came with an applicator tube that extended to push the cotton into place without the user having to touch it.
  • Previous Tampons

    Previous Tampons
    For instance, the earliest historical evidence of tampon use can be found in ancient Egyptian medical records that described tampons comprised of material derived from the papyrus plant. In the fifth century B.C., Greek women fashioned their protection by wrapping lint around a small piece of wood, according to writings of Hippocrates, a physician considered to be the father of western medicine.
  • Tampons Summary

    Tampons Summary
    Another similar and popular type of disposable tampon is the o.b. Tampon. Invented by German gynecologist Dr. Judith Esser-Mittag in the 1940’s, the o.b. Tampon was marketed as a “smarter” alternative to applicator tampons by emphasizing greater comfort and doing away with the need for an applicator.
  • The first Tampons made

    The first Tampons made
    The first tampons were made using a wide variety of materials found in nature. The prevailing thought seemed to be that if it was absorbent, chances are that it would work as a tampon.
  • Changinng the Tampon

    Changinng the Tampon
    But it wasn’t until 1929 that a physician named Dr. Earle Haas patented and invented the modern-day tampon (with applicator). He came up with the idea during a trip out to California, where a friend told him how she was able to improvise a more comfortable and effective alternative to the commonly used and bulky external pads by simply inserting a piece of sponge on the inside, rather than outside.
  • How was a Tampon made

    How was a Tampon made
    On Aug. 18, 2011, a thread titled “I design tampons. AMA!” appeared on the news-conversation website Reddit. Hosted by a user named “karnim” who identified himself only as a college-aged male research-and-development intern at one of the “big three” tampon brands (Tampax, Kotex, and Playtex), the thread began with a polite invitation to “ask me anything” (AMA) and a disclaimer.